Description
Henri Brunier (of Vieux Télégraphe fame) bought this Châteauneuf du Pape estate in 1986. The 27 hectares of vineyards are located on a rocky plateau north of the village. They are planted with 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre and the average age of the vines is over 40 years old. The grapes are hand picked and are then fermented for 15-20 days in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks. The wine remains in tanks for a further year before being transferred into oak casks where it is aged for a further 8 months. It is bottle unfined and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes
“Gorgeous nose, displaying expressive damson and a touch of hung game; beautifully ripe but precise. Generous but not overly full-bodied, with a good sense of energy and tension. Finishes on Provençal herbs and potpourri. Since bottling, the whole-bunch element has become quite pronounced, and there’s a little green note on the finish which detracts somewhat from what’s otherwise an aromatically very impressive wine.”
[91/100 points – Matt Walls – September 2023 – www.decanter.com]
